The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-11-05
HEAT THE STABLE.
How Swiss Dairymen Keep Up tho Flow Of
MILK in Cows in Winter.


This has always been pet idea with
us; not that we have been an advocate
of putting up furnace in barn to
keep the cows warm, though some very
good authorities hold that the increase
III the yield OF milk when this is done
would nuch more than pay the extra
cost. There are, however, other and
cheaper ways of heating the stable
The first is by the retention of the nat
ural heat of the cows bodies. We
have often told how. upon one occasion,
we went to call upon II Swiss dairy
man in the dead of winter. when
the thermometer was marking stormy
some distance below zero, and
when we opened the door of
the COW stable the steam rushed
out SO that it nearly blinded us. We
found in this stable II hundred head of
COWS, with the hair on them as short
us it ever is in summer, and they were
all giving summer messes of milk. and
looked as sleek and comfortable as
though it was warm day in June.
The otlor of that stable was some
tll;ag frigntful, and we expected to hear
of many deaths in the herd, as the cows
had not been out of their stables i'm
many months; but the owner told us
he had not lost but two COWS in as
many years, and they had gotten hold
of some Paris green that had been care
lie sly left under Il shed, and wanted to
know ii he could not collect damages
for his loss.
The trouble with the air in that
stable was want of bedding, there
being none in use. but on inquiry and
inves igation we found the milk perfect
ly sweet, and so far rs we could dis
cover entirely wholesome. The point
we wish to make is that the cows were
giving such remarkable quantities of
milk in mid-winter on plain and not
over abundant rations. All of it was
properly attributed to the heat in the
stable. This, too, was not an isolated
case, for there were dozens of Swiss
dairymen in the same ncighbOrhood
practicing tho same plan and with
equally good results.
Here is lesson well worth learning.
and now is the time to take advantage
OF it. In the first place the ceiling OF
the cow stable should not be over seven
feet high, and every crack and hole
carefully stopped up. The modilica
tious necessary are ventilation and bed.
ding. Have thermometers to tell just
what the temperature is and windows
that can be opened to let out the excess
of heat. Sixly-iive degrees would be
warm enough, and never more than ten
degrees lower than this. The cows
must be fed and watered IN the sta bic.
and it might he we'll to let them run for
n short time in the stable lot when the
sun shines and the wind does not blow.
Never lot them get chilled for mo-
mont il you want to keep up the flow
Of milk. II dry earth or leaves are
used for bedding there need be but
little smell in the stable The cows
should have more room than they
usually have in stanchions, and for this
purpose stalls are necessary. and they
need not be more than three and half
feet wide for ordinary sized cows.
There is nothing like heat for milk
making in winter, and with ensilage for
food there is no reason why the supply
OF milk should be any less in cold than
In warm weatherif the above conditions
are strictly observed. --AnsericaD Dairy
man
"A good wife and health are
d. L.